Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Marketing, the agency behind viral ads for Match and Mint Mobile, has been acquired by the advertising software company MNTN.
As part of the deal, Maximum Effort Marketing will retain its identity and exist as an agency within MNTN (“mountain”). Reynolds will serve as MNTN’s chief creative officer while George Dewey will become the company’s chief brand officer, while also retaining his position as president of Maximum Effort.
Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Productions, which signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures last month, is not part of the deal with MNTN and will continue to operate as a separate, standalone company.
“I genuinely love marketing and I have been gobsmacked by how much fun it has been and how fast we have grown. We wanted a future for our marketing arm that ensured we could continue to move fast, have fun and do really rewarding work. I was blown away by the simplicity and speed of MNTN’s technology and how it opens up access to TV for advertisers who can’t afford upfront agreements,” Reynolds said in a statement. “I believe the combination of our companies will create a 1+1 equals 3 situation, assuming my math checks out. It was never my strong suit.”
Mark Douglas, the CEO of MNTN, praised the partnership as an opportunity to “bring creative and media back together.”
“Creative is the center of the advertising industry and I’ve always thought it odd to have creative and media walled off from each other,” Douglas said. “Maximum Effort’s work speaks for itself and having spent a lot of time with Ryan, I know I’ve found a partner who likes to move fast and take big swings.”
